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Mired in Kicking Yips, Minnesota’s Blair Walsh Is Released

The place kicker had struggled since missing a potential game-winner in the NFC Wild Card last year

By

Michael Salfino

Nov. 15, 2016 9:58 p.m. ET

A year ago, Minnesota Vikings’ Blair Walsh was on top of the kicking world. He was en route to a league-leading 34 field goals in his first year under a four-year, $14 million contract. But then he missed a potential game-winning chip shot that cost Minnesota a chance to win the NFC Wild Card. He never seemed to recover, missing eight kicks in nine games this season. The last straw was apparently a missed extra point in Sunday’s loss to the Redskins, Walsh's fourth missed PAT of the year. The Vikings released the kicker...